The Tiger or the Jaguar
by aznboi85
Summary: PRJF Now this is a more conventional love triangle. Lily finds that she has feelings for two of her coworkers and teammates, Theo and Casey. She contemplates whether she should explore her feelings, and if so, who she should explore her feelings for.
1. Confused

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_Confused_

(Lily's POV)

It's not easy when you're the only girl living in a loft with three guys, especially when you're attracted to two of those guys. In situations like this, what do you do? How can you possibly choose one over the other?

Theo and I have been friends practically forever. We know each other inside and out. He gets me in a way that no one else does, not even my family. We've been through so much together.

On the other hand, I'm still getting to know Casey. I think that's what exciting though. The two of us have so much fun when we're together. He always manages to make me laugh, or at the very least, put a smile on my face.

The fact that I've known Theo for such a long time makes me wonder. If something romantic were to happen between the two of us, wouldn't it have happened by now? Granted, I have never really looked at Theo in that way before.

I remember telling Casey that he's like a little brother to me. That was a true statement…for the most part. There is definite physical attraction between the two of us. To top it off, we're both playful, which can be interpreted as flirtatious. It doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes either. He's someone you'd want to take home to your parents and kind of show off.

To tell you the truth, I don't know where I stand with Theo. We've been best friends for such a long time that I wouldn't be surprised if that's all he sees me as. I have absolutely no clue whether or not Theo finds me attractive.

I'm not exactly sure where I stand with Casey either. After I told him that he was like a little brother to me, I could've sworn I saw disappointment on his face. So does that mean he was interested in me romantically? Does that mean he still is interested? As I said before, he is pretty flirtatious though. I don't know if that's the right guy for me. With him, I'd probably be some jealous girlfriend unless he can manage to keep his flirting in check.

It certainly doesn't help that I have to work with them every single day. It's bad enough that the three of us all work at Jungle Karma Pizza. To make matters worse, the three of us are power rangers. Out of sight, out of mind? Not in this case. What if things end badly? How will I be able to face either of them? How will that affect our working relationship at JKP? How will that affect our team dynamic as rangers? Is that a risk I'm willing to take?

To Be Continued…


	2. Tradition

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_Tradition_

(Theo's POV)

It was the second Tuesday of the month. That meant that it was time once again for Lily and I to try a new lunch spot. I'm not sure why the tradition started or even when it started, but all I do know is that it's been a tradition the two of us have been doing for quite some time now.

"You sure we shouldn't bring Casey along? He's my friend too," Lily stated.

A part of me was hurt that she even had the nerve to suggest it. It had always been just the two of us trying a new lunch spot on the second Tuesday of the month. Why change that now?

"Come on, Lily. This is _our_ thing. This is _our_ tradition. Our meaning yours and mine; not yours, mine, and Casey's," I said as politely as I could muster all the while plastering a fake smile on my face.

Lily sighed. "You're right. Let's go," she replied.

We ended up going to this diner. Supposedly, they had the best French fries in all of Ocean Bluff. Lily and I decided to go and see if that was in fact true. Due to our working at a pizza parlor, we always refrained from going to Italian restaurants. If we wanted Italian food, we could just eat lunch at Jungle Karma Pizza, but then we would be breaking tradition because JKP is not a new lunch spot.

I saw Lily space off. I noticed that today, she seemed awfully quiet, especially for her. I could tell that something was troubling her. If something troubled Lily, then it troubled me too. She was after all my best friend.

I reached over and placed my hand on top of hers. The moment skin contact was made, a tingling sensation traveled down my spine unlike anything I had ever experienced.

"Lil, you know you can talk to me about anything, don't you?" I asked.

Lily shifted uncomfortably in her seat. I couldn't help but notice that she refused to look me in the eyes for a reason I was unsure of.

"It's nothing," the yellow ranger responded.

"Lily. Lil," I said putting my hand on her chin and gently raising her head so she was looking me in the eyes. "You and I both know it's not nothing. Come on. Talk to me."

The cheetah let out a long sigh. "Do you ever wonder what it would be like to date?" she asked.

"Lily, I have had girlfriends before," I replied.

"No, that's not what I meant. I meant us. Do you ever wonder what it would be like for us to date?"

I was speechless. I couldn't believe my ears. I've had feelings for Lily for the longest time, but I didn't want to jeopardize our friendship. This changes everything.

To Be Continued…


	3. New Beginnings

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_New Beginnings_

(Lily's POV)

I couldn't believe I had said what I just said. A part of me wanted to take it back. Theo wasn't only my best guy friend, he was my best friend. If we were to date, and things didn't work out, I would really hate to lose him; I would really hate to lose his friendship.

"Don't take this the wrong way Lil, but why are you asking me this now?"

I wasn't sure what to take from Theo's reply. Did that mean he wasn't interested? Did that mean he was interested? Why was he avoiding my question? Why _did_ I ask him this now?

"I don't know. Look, T. You can just say 'no.' It won't hurt my feelings. I'll completely understand."

"Who said anything about me saying 'no'?" came his response.

My eyes lit up and the corners of my lips pulled upwards in a smile. I realized that Theo still had his hand on mine. That was perfectly fine with me.

"So then, are you saying what I think you're saying?" I questioned.

"Depends. What do you think I think you're saying?" Theo replied.

"That we should give it a shot; we should give _us_ a shot."

"Well, then. You must have read my mind, Lil. Because that is _exactly_ what I was thinking."

He massaged the back of my hand with his thumb. It was certainly a bold gesture; not one that a best friend would do. Nevertheless, it was a gesture that was welcomed. It had me all giddy with excitement inside.

"I want you to know Lil that no matter what, you will _never_ lose me as a friend. You will _always_ be my best friend," Theo said.

That is just what I wanted to hear. Every doubt, all hesitation went right out the door after hearing Theo say that.

"Theo, I feel the same way. You will always be _my_ best friend," I stated.

Blue eyes met brown as I gazed longingly into his eyes; a feat that when I woke up this morning, I would have never thought possible, especially when the subject of my longing gaze was my best friend.

As our meal progressed, Theo and I would occasionally steal glances when we thought that the other wasn't looking.

"Say, Lil, do you have any plans Friday night after work?" he asked me.

"Why Theo, are you asking me out on a date?" I replied.

A date. Now that was a subject I haven't had to deal with in a long while. There was a Pai Zhuq Academy rule that forbade students from fraternizing with one another. Fortunately, we weren't at the Pai Zhuq Academy anymore.

"If I was, hypothetically of course, what would your answer be?" Theo asked.

"Hypothetically, I would say that it's a date," I answered.

To Be Continued…


	4. Odd Man Out

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_Odd Man Out_

(Casey's POV)

It was Friday night. Jungle Karma Pizza was now closed. After I changed out of my work uniform, I caught Lily just as she was leaving the loft.

"Hey Lil."

"Hey Casey. What's up?" she asked giving me a warm smile.

I kind of got lost in her smile. Lily was so…considerate. That's one of the many things I loved about her.

"Well, it's Friday night, and I was wondering if maybe you, me, and Theo could do something together. You know, just the three of us."

Lily's smile disappeared from her face. "That sounds great, Case. There's just one small problem. Theo and I kind of already have plans—just the two of us."

"What do you mean, like a date?"

"You could call it that."

"Oh."

I don't know what hurt worse—the fact that Theo and Lily were dating or the fact that they neglected to tell anyone about their plans.

"Is that okay?" Lily asked.

I knew there was only one thing for me to do—swallow my pride. I took a deep breath before speaking.

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?"

I could tell that Lily felt like she was walking on eggshells around me now.

"It's just I know that you—"

"Yeah, but that's in the past, Lil. Theo's outside waiting for you. Don't let me keep you."

PRJF-PRJF-PRJF

"I'm such a fool, Fran! Of course Lily would choose Theo over me! They've known each other longer. How can I possibly compete with that?"

I wouldn't be surprised if Fran was confuzzled about why I had gone to her to discuss this with. I guess because it was either her or RJ. RJ is my master, and going to him to talk about stuff like this is just…weird.

"Does she know how you feel about her?" she asked.

"Definitely. More than likely. Probably. Perhaps. Maybe. Possibly."

Fran gave me a quizzical look that only made me realize that I wasn't even sure Lily knew how I felt about her.

"What about Theo and Lily? Do you think they…love…each other?" I inquired.

Instantly, I could tell that the question made Fran uncomfortable. "I don't want to hurt you, Casey, but I think they do."

My heart sank. Was that why she told me I'm like a little brother to her way back when?

"Case, if I were you, I would still tell her how I feel. That way, at least she knows."

Fran was right. I psyched myself up. I left the loft and headed for JKP's patio. Upon opening the door, I saw Lily and Theo in each other's arms. What's worse was they were kissing.

I headed back inside because suddenly, I didn't feel like telling Lily anymore.

To Be Continued…


	5. Fallout

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_Fallout_

(Lily's POV)

The next morning, I woke up happier than ever. I had an extra spring in my step. Theo actually kissed me. It startled me to say the least, but in a good way.

However, that would take some getting used to though—starting to think of Theo as my boyfriend instead of my best friend. I mean don't get me wrong; he will always be my best friend. Still, some transitioning would need to take place for me to see him as more than just my best friend.

"Hey Lily. You look awfully chipper this morning," Fran said.

"I am. Why wouldn't I be?" I replied.

"That's great! So Casey talked to you then?"

"Wait. What?"

"Yeah. I had to practically talk him into going to you; he had something he wanted to tell you."

The color drained from my face. _What did Casey want to tell me? Why didn't he say anything to me last night? What if he saw me and Theo kissing?_

"What did he want to tell me?" I asked afraid of what the answer could be.

"It's not my place to say. You should go and talk to him," Fran responded.

"Okay. I think I will. Thanks Fran."

I took my time and walked to the kitchen. I was in no hurry. In fact, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to go back there at all. I took a deep breath and pushed open the swinging door. Casey was standing there kneading some dough.

"Hey Case," I said.

"Hey," he answered not even looking up at me.

I guess that answered my question. He must've seen Theo and me kiss last night. This was absolutely the last thing I wanted to happen; I didn't want my dating Theo to affect our team dynamic.

"So I was talking to Fran, and she said that you wanted to tell me something last night," I stated.

"I did, but I don't anymore," he answered still not making eye contact.

"Casey, please don't do this; please don't be like this."

"Excuse me for not jumping for joy."

"What?"

"I saw you and Theo kiss last night."

It was just as I feared. I felt so conflicted. On the one hand, Theo and I had a wonderful first date. He made me so happy. On the other hand, I could tell that I hurt Casey.

"It's fine, Lil. As long as you're happy," Casey said although the look in his eyes told another story.

"Case, I wanted to tell you. I just—"

"Didn't?"

"Casey—"

"You're waiting tables today, so you should probably go."

Casey turned his back to me and was looking through the condiment bins. My eyes brimmed with tears and I frowned. I knew there would be fallout; I just never thought it would be like this.

To Be Continued…


	6. First Fight

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_First Fight_

(Theo's POV)

"Casey saw us kiss," Lily said to me.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked confused.

"I don't want things to be awkward."

"Then don't let it get awkward."

"It already is!"

Truth be told, I was kind of annoyed with Lily right about now. She had decided to take a five minute break the same time as me, and to do what? Talk about this!

"Look, you had a great time on our date, right?" I asked her.

"Yeah."

"You enjoyed our kiss, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Then I don't see the problem."

Lily threw up her hands in frustration. She made like she was going to say something on three separate occasions, but didn't.

"Let me guess. The problem is Casey has feelings for you, right?" I asked convinced I already knew the answer was 'yes.'

"I'm not sure, but probably," Lily replied.

"Well, the question is do you have feelings for him?"

I was expecting an immediate 'no,' but instead, all I got was silence. I guess she was thinking about her answer although I wasn't sure what there was to think about. Either she did or she didn't have feelings for Casey. It's not that hard of a question.

"Well, do you?" I asked.

"Yes, as a little brother," she answered.

"Don't do that, Lily. I've known you for a long time, and I know when you're lying to me."

"Who said I'm lying?"

"You sure took your sweet time answering."

"Only because I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"Well, you did. Now I think you really do have feelings for him."

"Theo—"

"If you have feelings for him, then we—can't happen."

Lily looked hurt by my words. Her eyes started to water. She's the one who has feelings for another guy, and she is the one hurt? I'm hurt just as much as she is if not more.

"So what, after one date we're already breaking up?" she asked.

"It's not so much breaking up as it's taking a break. I think you need to figure out some things in your head before we can ever try us again," I stated.

"Just for the record, I think you're overreacting."

"Overreacting? Okay, then tell me that you don't have feelings for Casey."

"Only as a little brother!"

"He's the same age as you! Not to mention the way you flirt with him!"

"What? I don't flirt with him!"

"Food fights!"

"I wouldn't call that flirting."

"You never have food fights with me!"

"Because you're a neat freak! You'd have a cow if I threw food at you! Then, you'd probably get a broom and dustpan and sweep it up!"

It had been exactly 300 seconds, and so I returned to my post.

To Be Continued…


	7. Rebound

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_Rebound_

(Lily's POV)

After I broke up with Theo, I noticed that he kept any interaction with me to a minimum. When he was interacting with me, he was civil enough, but I could tell he wasn't entirely pleased with me.

I could tell that Casey was still walking on eggshells around me. I hated how much I had screwed things up between the three of us. I would give anything for things to go back to the way they were before any of this even happened.

Jungle Karma Pizza was now closed. I went to flip the sign on the door from 'Open' to 'Closed.' As soon as I did, I noticed that Theo left the room. After saying bye to Fran, I went to the kitchen and found Casey there.

"Hi," I said not really knowing what else to say.

"Hey, Lil," he answered.

"Did you hear that Theo and I broke up?"

"I did now. I'm sorry to hear that."

"Are you really?"

"Of course I am! I like you, but more than anything, I just want you to be happy because you deserve to be happy—even if it is with another guy."

My mind raced back to something Fran had said to me. _'Yeah. I had to practically talk him into going to you; he had something he wanted to tell you.' _

"Did I hear you right? Did you just say you like me?" I questioned.

"Are you hungry? I'm starving," he commented.

"You're dodging the question!"

"No, I'm not. I'm just stating a fact."

"When are you ever _not_ hungry?"

"When I'm full."

I couldn't help but snicker at his response. I don't really think it was a coincidence that my first laugh in awhile was because of Casey.

"To answer your question, I did say what you thought I said. See? I'm not dodging the question. Not that I was earlier, of course," he said.

"Of course," I responded sarcastically.

"So…are you hungry or what?" he asked.

"I wouldn't mind grabbing a bite to eat."

My mind was still trying to digest the information that Casey admitted to liking me. It's not that it was surprising. Quite the opposite; it was exciting.

"If you like me, then does that mean you wouldn't be totally opposed to going out on a date with me sometime?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Actually I would," he responded. My heart dropped. "The thing is I don't want to be your rebound guy; I want to be _your_ guy. Let's start out as just friends for now though," he answered.

I didn't want to be just friends with Casey. However, if being just friends is what it took for us to become something more down the road, then that's exactly what I would do.

To Be Continued…


	8. Going Away

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

**A/N: This is an AU version of the episode "One Master Too Many." **

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_Going Away_

Master Finn was in the loft with Casey standing beside him. They were standing across from Theo, Lily, and RJ.

"Casey has made great strides in learning the way of the shark, but he still has much to learn. That is why I want him to come with me so he can continue his training," Master Finn stated.

Theo had an indifferent look on his face. Lily had a shocked expression on her facial features as did RJ.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible. He has responsibilities here. So, sorry _dad_, but Casey's not going anywhere!" RJ replied.

"Just because I finally found someone to teach the way of the shark to doesn't mean that you can tell me what I can and cannot do," Master Finn responded.

"So what, you finally got the son you always wanted in Casey?"

"I may not have approved of you going your own way, but I _never_ wanted to replace you!"

"You could've fooled me."

"Come Casey, say your goodbyes and be quick about it. We're leaving soon."

Master Finn went down to the pizza parlor that was Jungle Karma Pizza in the meantime.

"You know Casey, you don't have to do this if you don't want to," RJ said.

"I know, but I want to do this," the tiger stated.

"Oh," the wolf master said sounding a bit taken aback.

"It's not like I'm abandoning you guys though. Quite the opposite. If you ever need me, I'm only a call away."

Theo for one was glad that Casey was leaving. It's not that he really had a problem with the guy. It's just that with Casey leaving, maybe he could get closer to Lily.

"See ya, Casey," the blue ranger said.

"Bye Theo," the red ranger replied.

The yellow ranger took a step forward. She still had some remnants of shock written on her face.

"Can I talk to you Casey, _alone_?" Lily asked.

RJ and Theo took the hint and left the loft.

"Do you know how long your training will take?" the cheetah asked.

"I'm sorry, but I don't," Casey answered.

At first, Lily took Casey's hands in her own. Then, she decided to do what her heart was yearning for. She threw her arms around him in a hug.

"I don't want you to leave," she stated holding him tightly.

"Lily, please don't make this more difficult than it already is. This isn't goodbye. This is see you later," he said returning her embrace.

They stayed in each other's arms for what seemed like an eternity. Their hug certainly seemed like something more than just a hug between friends.

"Casey, it's time to go," Master Finn said.

Lily cried a silent tear.

To Be Continued…


	9. Feeling Blue

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_Feeling Blue_

(Lily's Diary)

Dear Diary,

Today Casey left to go and train with Master Finn. He just left today, and I already miss him. I guess I became so used to him being around that I sort of took it for granted that he would always be around. Things just aren't the same without him here.

For starters, the refrigerator actually has leftovers in it for the first time since I've been living in the loft. One thing about Casey is that he always seems to be hungry. He would always personally see to it that there were no leftovers. I honestly don't know where he keeps all that food because he is definitely in good shape.

Things were definitely weird at the dinner table tonight. No one really knew how to act or what to say. For that matter, no one knew if anyone should even say anything. So, the three of us just ate in silence.

Then there's the whole issue of who am I going to have food fights and water fights with? It seemed like these things were becoming Casey's home remedy for whenever I was having a rough day. A food fight or water fight with Casey later, and my day had markedly improved. Sometimes, he wouldn't even use them as a home remedy at all. He'd just start a water fight or food fight with me for the sake of having one.

I can't help but feel like I'm responsible for him leaving. Maybe if I had never suggested we date sometime in the future, he wouldn't have left. I'm sure that had to have freaked him out a bit. It probably confused him as well. I remember telling him that he was like a little brother to me, which in some ways he is, or was. I don't know. Maybe I'm the one confused.

The bottom line is that I really didn't want Casey to leave. If that makes me selfish, then so be it. On my way to bed, I had to pass Casey's hammock—his empty hammock. I never quite understood how he could sleep in a hammock all night, but it definitely looks different without him laying in it.

I know he said that he was only a call away, but he just left, and if I called him, I would probably sound clingy. Besides, he's probably too busy training with _Master Finn_ anyways. I know he's a Pai Zhuq master and RJ's father, but I really don't like Master Finn. Maybe that's because he took Casey away.

Anyways, I'm going to go now although I have no idea why. I probably won't be able to sleep a wink tonight; I'll be too busy thinking about Casey and how much I miss him.

Signed,

Lily

To Be Continued…


	10. Moving In

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_Moving In_

(Casey's POV)

I was surprised when Master Finn pulled up to a one story house. It was a decent sized house, but I guess since he was a Pai Zhuq master, I was half expecting him to live in a place like the Pai Zhuq Academy where Master Mao taught us.

"Well, we're here. Until you finish your training, _this_ will be your new home," Master Finn said to me.

Home. Now there was a subject that was unfamiliar to me. It seemed like lately, just when I started calling a place my home (or before I even had the chance to) I would move once again. I was only at the Pai Zhuq Academy for a week before I relocated to Ocean Bluff, California. I only lived at the loft with Theo, Lily, and RJ for a couple of months before I went off to live with Master Finn.

I slung my bag over my shoulder, and followed Master Finn inside. For only having one story, the place was pretty spacious. There were two bedrooms—one was Master Finn's, and the other was RJ's.

"Where will I be staying?" I asked though I was pretty sure I knew the answer.

"You'll be staying in RJ's room," Master Finn replied.

I started to think that maybe RJ was right; perhaps there was some truth to his believing that Master Finn was trying to replace him. Why else would Master Finn want me to stay in what used to be RJ's room? I could just as easily sleep on the couch, or floor, or something.

"Go ahead and unpack, but don't dawdle. I want to start your training as soon as possible," Master Finn said.

I went to RJ's room, and was surprised by what I saw. I half expected that based on how Master Finn and RJ don't seem to get along, that the former would have completely remodeled the latter's room. However, that wasn't the case; Master Finn had left RJ's room exactly the way RJ had left it.

I found that RJ's dresser drawers and closet were vacant, but otherwise, everything was distinctly RJ. The color scheme of RJ's room seemed to be predominantly purple, black, and white. I noticed a yoga mat on the floor. I also saw that he had a black leather recliner in his bedroom. I put what clothes I brought in the dresser drawers and closet. I wasn't going to redecorate RJ's room though. I may be moving in, but I'm not _moving in_. I already have one dad, and I'm not looking for a second one.

I already missed Fran and my teammates, especially Lily. This was the first time we had really been apart from each other since I first met her. I wondered if she missed me too.

To Be Continued…


	11. Not the Same

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_Not the Same_

(Theo's POV)

Casey had been gone for about a week now, and I could tell that Lily really missed him. She hadn't quite been herself ever since he left. It was almost like when he left, he took a part of her with him. She was definitely not the same.

"Hey Lil, did you give any more thought to what we last talked about?" I asked.

"You mean did I figure out who I have feelings for?" she replied.

I gave an affirmative nod. I braced myself for the worst case scenario in the event that it should happen.

"I can't answer that right now. I know I miss Casey. I'm not sure if it's because I have feelings for him though," she explained.

"Have you called him since he left?" I questioned.

"I did once, but as soon as he answered, I hung up."

Just from her tone of voice alone, I could tell Lily was not the same. She wasn't her usual bubbly, energetic, fun-loving self. She never wanted to shoot hoops with me anymore. When she wasn't at work, and even when she was at work, she would usually just mope around.

I mustered up courage I didn't even know I possessed, and decided to tell Lily how I really felt about her.

"Lily, I love you. I think I always have. I've just been too shy to ever say anything to you. I don't just love you as my best friend either. It's more than that. Even if you don't love me back, I just wanted to let you know how I feel about you," I spouted out talking three times faster than my normal talking speed.

There were butterflies in my stomach that felt more like pterodactyls. My palms were all sweaty. My breath was hitched in my throat. My pulse increased rapidly as I eagerly awaited her response.

She made like she was going to respond on at least three separate occasions, only for her to decide against it. I could practically see the gears turning in her head as she contemplated how best to respond to me. It was rather disheartening that it took her so long.

"Too long," I commented out loud.

"What?" she responded.

"If you loved me, you would have said so by now, but you didn't."

"Theo, I don't know what to say."

"It's okay. You can't help who you fall in love with, right?"

I left Lily alone in the kitchen. I just wanted to go to a corner, curl up in a fetal position, and sulk. I couldn't believe I made a fool out of myself like that.

Maybe if I had told her how I felt about her sooner, like before Casey even entered the equation, then maybe things would have turned out differently.

To Be Continued…


	12. Reunion

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_Reunion_

(Lily's POV)

The sane thing would have been just to call Casey. However, as of late, I hadn't been too sane, so I ended up going to visit him instead. It wasn't too difficult to find him. I merely used his morpher as a tracking device.

I arrived at Master Finn's home. I didn't want to just go in the front door. That would be too obvious. So instead, I snuck around the back. I found Casey and Master Finn in the backyard sparring with one another. They both wielded Shark Sabers, and both parried every attempted attack the other made.

From the looks of things, it was hard to tell who the Master was and who was the student. The mere thought of that made me smile. That probably meant that Casey would be coming back soon now that his training was nearly over.

"Lily?" Casey said in astonishment upon seeing me.

Master Finn took advantage of the red ranger's momentary lapse of focus to sweep his legs out from under him with the handle of one of his Shark Sabers. Casey landed with a thud on his back. Master Finn immediately offered Casey his hand, and helped him up to his feet.

I didn't care that the next thing I found myself doing was running towards Casey a la two star crossed lovers reuniting after being apart from one another for a long time in those old Hollywood movies. I threw my arms around him in an embrace. My lips curled in a frown when I realized that he wasn't hugging me back. Why wasn't he hugging me back?

"What are you doing here?" he asked me.

"I came to see you!" I exclaimed.

I was trying to read his facial expressions, but he wasn't giving anything away. His facial expressions were completely…neutral. This confused me greatly.

"You could have just called me," Casey stated in what might have been a monotone voice.

"Are you not happy to see me?" I asked, my voice cracking towards the end.

"Why are you here?"

"Because life with you in it is much better than life without you in it!"

"You shouldn't be here."

Hearing him say that hurt me much more than I thought they would have. I now found myself on the brink of tears. I had dreamt of what our reunion would be like, and this wasn't at all what I expected. He was being so cold and distant.

I grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "What's wrong with you?"

"Go back to Theo," Casey ordered in the softest of whispers which made me wonder if he even meant to verbalize it.

I released Casey's shoulders, turned around, and ran away. I was now full on crying, and I didn't want him to know that he made me cry.

To Be Continued…


	13. Regrets

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

**A/N: Thanks to my beta readers for their help.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_Regrets_

(Casey's POV)

As I watched Lily leave, I no longer felt like keeping my poker face. I frowned knowing that not only was Lily hurt, but she was hurt because of me. I could sense Master Finn's eyes on me. He walked over to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"I know that was difficult for you, but it was for the best," he commented.

If that was the truth, then why did I feel so horrible? Now I had many regrets. I regretted telling Master Finn about all the drama concerning Lily. I regretted going along with his advice to end things with Lily once and for all. Most importantly, I regretted hurting Lily at all.

"What if it wasn't for the best? What if she never speaks to me again?" I asked, refusing to look my new master in the face. After all, this was just as much, if not more, his fault as it was mine.

"I'm sorry, Casey. The way that I see things is that she is just jerking you around on a chain and, unless you like to be jerked around on a chain, then it's better for you to end things with her," Master Finn explained, trying, and failing, to sound remorseful.

I shrugged off his hand and took a few steps away from him. I still had my back to him. A part of me wanted to go after Lily and ask for her forgiveness. Another part of me thought that it would be a wasted effort.

"Maybe guys like to be chased by girls who aren't into them," I suggested. That seemed true enough. I cared deeply for Lily, but if her kiss with Theo was any indication, she didn't feel the same way about me.

"She kissed another guy! If you think there's hope for the two of you after _that_ then you are sadly mistaken!" Master Finn exclaimed.

"You don't know that!"

"Unfortunately, I do. Now if it's dancers that you like, I hear Master Phant has a niece who is a dancer. Her name is Gabby and she happens to be around your age too."

A light bulb went off in my head. Now I saw all too clearly his intentions. He _wanted_ me to end things with Lily. He had probably already spoken to this Gabby about me. He may know a lot about the way of the shark, but when it comes to romance, why was I even listening to him?

"You don't get it, do you? I don't like Lily because she's a dancer. I like Lily because she's…Lily," I stated. "I'm going to pack my things."

"Why? Are you going somewhere?" Master Finn asked.

"Yeah, I'm going back." Hopefully, I could still fix this.

To Be Continued…


	14. Love Triangles Have Sharp Edges

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

**A/N: Thanks to Amanda and Larissa for beta-ing this for me.**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_Love Triangles Have Sharp Edges_

(Theo's POV)

Lily entered Jungle Karma Pizza, and I could instantly tell something had gone wrong—horribly wrong. As she brushed past me, I noticed that she wasn't even watching where she was going; her eyes were looking down instead.

In her eyes I could see the hurt, the pain and the anguish. There were streaks on her face from where her tears had ruined her makeup. I didn't know how long she had been crying, but I could tell that she had cried a lot despite the fact that at this moment, her eyes were dry.

Without giving it a second thought, I followed her upstairs. It was as clear as day that my best friend needed someone—she needed _me_, and I had no intention of abandoning her in her time of need.

She had her back to me, and I walked up behind her and put my hand on her shoulder—letting her know that I was there. With my hand on her shoulder, I could feel that even her breathing was off.

"Lily, talk to me. What happened?" I asked.

"You'll be pleased to hear that Casey and I got into a fight. He basically told me that he doesn't want me," she answered.

I gently turned her around so that she was facing me. I took my hand and brushed a strand of hair from her eyes; the back of my hand caressed her cheek as I did so.

"That doesn't please me; that doesn't please me one bit. If you are hurting, then so am I," I responded speaking so soft that only Lily could hear me.

I wrapped my arms around her in an embrace, and she returned the gesture. Lily and I had been through so much together. There was no one else like her in my life. She was my best friend, and I couldn't imagine life without her in it. The two of us have a bond that will never be broken.

"Theo?"

"Hmm?" I replied.

"Thanks, you know, for this. You're a great friend."

There was that word again: _friend_. The way I saw it, I could do two things: either I could dwell on the fact that she only considers me a friend, or I could take the high road, and just be there for Lily.

I decided to take the high road. After all, given how I behaved the last time Lily and I spoke, I was the one who should be asking her for her forgiveness. Based on her actions right here right now, I would say that she had already forgiven me, and I couldn't be more relieved.

"It's no problem Lily. For you, I'd do anything," I commented.

At that moment, with Lily in my arms, I heard footsteps approaching. Someone was coming up the stairs to the loft. Given the compromising situation Lily and I were in, it would be just my luck for it to be the one person who would ruin this.

"Casey," Lily said as she slowly let go of me and took a step back. Yep, that's the one.

To Be Continued…


	15. One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1**

**The Tiger or the Jaguar**

_One Step Forward and Two Steps Back_

(Lily's POV)

"Casey, wait!" I called out as he turned around to leave the loft.

Despite my plea, he kept on walking. We were all the way down the stairs, when I grabbed him by the arm to stop him. I could feel Theo's eyes on me the whole time, but I could care less. I knew that I had hurt Casey, and I was going to do anything in my power to try and remedy that situation.

"I'm such a fool!" he said out loud.

"No, you're not a fool!" I replied.

Casey wouldn't even look me in the eyes. I had a hold of his arm, but his back was to me. I was thoroughly confused. I thought Casey didn't want me anymore. I thought he told me to go back to Theo. Then why was he so upset when he found me with Theo?

"I should have listened to Master Finn," Casey said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"He told me that breaking up with you was for the best. That's why I did it. I believed him. You _did_ kiss another guy. There's no hope for us after something like _that_ happens!"

"Casey, look at me."

I turned him around so that the two of us were standing face-to-face. However, he still refused to look me in the eyes.

"I sought you out because I wanted to be _with_ you," I commented.

"How do you know that's what you really want? It sounds to me like you don't even know what you want," Casey responded.

"I'll admit that I was confused. This isn't an easy situation for me to be in. The last thing I want is to be forced to choose between you and Theo. I've made up my mind though. I choose you."

"Yeah, that's only because you think I'll take you back. The moment you no longer think that, you'll be right back in Theo's arms."

I was stunned. This was hardly the reaction I was expecting from Casey. Where does he go off thinking that he's the only one who's been hurt by all this? He hurt me too! He hurt me so badly that he brought me to tears!

"What are you a mind reader or something? Well, I'm glad you know me so much better than I know myself!" I said sarcastically.

"All I'm saying, Lily, is that it shouldn't _be_ this hard," Casey stated.

"So the moment things start to get a little difficult, you just want to give up?"

"It's certainly better than the alternative—getting jerked around by you any more."

"Casey, Theo's my friend. _You_ are the one I want to be with. Why can't you see that?"

"I want to believe you, Lily. Really, I do. I just don't. If you really want to be with me, then show me with your actions."

With that, Casey walked away from me. I just hoped he wasn't walking away from me forever.

To Be Continued…


End file.
